Ambulant sales facility

ABSTRACT

An ambulant sales facility having a carrying surface at one end separated from a load equalization surface at an opposite end by at least one horizontal support. The carrying surface is adapted to receive a food preparation installation including at least one of a grill and a drink dispenser. The weight of the food preparation installation may be offset by an energy supply such as a gas bottle located on the load equalization surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention pertains to an ambulant sales facility for preparing andselling freshly prepared snacks, like Bratwursts and other grilleditems, as well as for cold and hot drinks.

Ambulant sales facilities, like the self-contained shops worn on thevendor's stomach (Bauchladen), assist in bringing the offered wares asclose to the customers as possible, for instance at fairs, in pedestrianmalls, and in other areas frequented by the public. In comparison toso-called stalls, such sales facilities excel through their highmobility, since their location can be changed very quickly upon demand.Familiar and also known as ambulant sales facilities are insulatedcontainers that are carried in front of the stomach; they are filledwith hot water and fresh hot dogs and the like are sold from them.

But until now there had been no opportunity to sell certain snacks likegrilled items, freshly prepared, in such a manner. This is due to thefact that a relatively large selling surface has to be at hand to makepossible the sales of sufficient goods for profitability. But until now,this large size was considered unsuitable for the construction of anambulant sales facility due to the corresponding weight for the carrier.

The invention has, therefore, the objective of overcoming thisdisadvantage and creating the prerequisites for producing an ambulantsales facility for the preparation and the sales of freshly preparedsnacks, like grilled items, and of cold and hot drinks.

The following is a brief description of the different embodiments of theinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows schematically the perspective rear view of one embodimentof a facility according to the invention for the grilling of Bratwurstsand the like;

FIG. 2 represents the schematic side view of an alternate embodiment ofthe facility adapted to carry a drink dispenser;

FIG. 3a shows the side view of one embodiment of a roller plate toincrease the mobility of the sales facility; and

FIG. 3b shows the top view of the roller plate shown in to FIG. 3a.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In one embodiment, the invention includes a carrying surface 2, which isheld at stomach height by one or more neck and/or shoulder straps 1. Aneasily accessible grill 3 is mounted on the surface in front of thevendor. Side bars 4 and 5 are mounted on the right and the left side ofthe carrying surface and lead horizontally past the vendor to the rear.Between these side bars behind the vendor is a horizontal loadequalizing plate 6, which, for gas operations, serves as base for theinstallation and attachment of the propane gas bottle 7. Furthermore,there are supply containers 8 and 9 mounted on each side, left and rightof the vendor, for ungrilled goods as well as for condiments, spicysauces, mustard, paper plates, napkins, etc. The fastening points of thestrap(s) 1 on the grill assembly are selected in such a manner, that thegrill and the supply containers 8 and 9 have a favorable location forhandling by the vendor. The load equalization plate 6 behind the vendorhas a defined distance, so that the whole device, when the vendorcarries it around the neck and/or the shoulder, are in balance.

An additional support 10 serves as load abatement; it is fastened at end10a to the underside of the carrying surface 2 and extends downvertically. It can be suitably extended like a telescope and thenfastened, so that it can be adjusted to the various body sizes of thevendors. The lower end 10b of the support 10 can be inserted into theside of the vendor's shoe. The shoe can be properly adapted for thatpurpose, that is, it can be modified to have a receptacle to hold thelower end of the support. The assembly of the parts proceeds withsuitably easy connecting pieces, like wing nuts or quick gripping clampsetc., requiring no tools.

The straps have snap buckles 12, like those known in automobileconstruction and used for safety belts, are easy to open and to close aswell as adjustable in length.

The grill runs on ecologically friendly propane gas. The connecting linefrom the gas bottle to the burners in the grill and the burnersthemselves are not illustrated to keep the drawing uncluttered andclear. The vendor can regulate the heat supply to the grill with theregulator 11.

An alternate embodiment of the facility depicted in FIG. 2 is generallyidentical to that shown in FIG. 1 in all essential elements. Thecarrying surface 2 is also held up near the stomach by one or severalneck and/or shoulder straps that are not pictured because of the desireto keep the illustrations simple. The side bars 4 and 5 are also joinedin their frontal area with the carrying surface 2 and lead on each sidehorizontally past the vendor to the rear. Behind the vendor, thehorizontal load equalizing plate 6 is mounted between the rear areas ofthe side bars 4 and 5. A drink dispenser 20 with a cold drink supply 21and a supply line that circulates continuously through a refrigerationcircuit 22, not closer represented, is arranged in front of the vendoron the carrying surface 2. The energy supply 23 necessary for therefrigeration circuit, e.g., in the from of a condenser, a generator, orin the form of propane gas, is located on the equalization plate 6. Bypressing the dispenser lever 24, the drink flows into the cup 25 and isready for sale. In this sales facility there are also supply receptacles(not shown) to the left and right of the vendor for holding cups,straws, etc.

In the same way, the ambulant facility can also be modified for thefresh preparation and sale of hot drinks.

The preferred materials for the device should be corrosion resistant andhygienically unobjectionable, but at the same time light in weight. Thiswould mean stainless steel, aluminum, or titanium for supporting partsor for parts subjected to heat, and aluminum or plastic for all theothers.

In order to further increase the mobility of the sales facility, aroller plate 33, as illustrated in the FIGS. 3a and 3b, can be providedunder the vendor's shoe, where the support 10 is inserted. The plate 31has essentially a rectangular shape. The axis 30, which is joined to theplate 31, is situated crosswise to the longitudinal direction of theplate at about one third the total distance measured from the rear crossrim.

The described ambulant sales facility is easily transportable to itsplace of operation, it is quickly operational and ready for businessbecause of its easy assembly, it has a surprisingly large operationalcapacity to get fresh goods quickly to the customers, and so it cansatisfy a large demand at fairs and the like.

I claim:
 1. An ambulant sales facility, comprising a carrying surfacehaving a food preparation installation at one end, which is linked to aload equalizing plate at an opposite end of the carrying surface by apair of spaced apart horizontal side bars; a plurality of supplycontainers respectively supported by said pair of horizontal side barsat about the level of the side bars; a support strap attached atopposite ends to a respective one of said horizontal side bars; saidload equalizing plate having a certain distance from the carryingsurface so that it is in equilibrium when said facility is supported atleast partially by said strap; and a support member operativelyconnected to said carrying surface and extending down vertically foradditional load abatement.
 2. An ambulant sales facility as defined byclaim 1 wherein said support member is attached to an underside of saidcarrying surface.
 3. An ambulant sales facility as defined by claim 2,wherein said support member can be telescopically extended.
 4. Anambulant sales facility as defined by claim 1, wherein said foodpreparation installation includes a grill mounted on said carryingsurface and said load equalizing plate is adapted to retain a fuel tankfor providing fuel to said grill.
 5. An ambulant sales facility asdefined by claim 1, wherein said food preparation installation includesa drink dispenser mounted on said carrying surface, said load equalizingplate adapted to retain a source for operating said drink dispenser. 6.An ambulant sales facility as defined by claim 5, wherein said drinkdispenser includes a hot drink preparation device.
 7. An ambulant salesfacility as defined by claim 1, wherein said supply containers are onthe outside of said horizontal side bars.
 8. An ambulant sales facilityas defined by claim 4, wherein said support strap is adjustable.
 9. Anambulant sales facility as defined by claim 4, wherein the ambulantsales facility is constructed from stainless steel, aluminum, ortitanium for parts subjected to heat, and aluminum or plastic for allthe others.